Wednesday, June 28, 2017

The Administration's proposed budget for fiscal year 2018 reveals what are nothing less than catastrophic cuts to programs that directly impact trails and the places where Americans hike and enjoy the outdoors. The proposed budget for trails and the federal agencies that manage and maintain trails on federal lands fails to provide for even the most basic necessities needed to maintain and manage these critical recreation resources.

We are stronger when we stand together.

A sign-on letter was carefully crafted in partnership with the American Hiking Society, Backcountry Horsemen of America, and the Partnership for the National Trails System, reflecting the level of concern among all trail user groups. If your organization is as shocked at the Administration's proposed budget as most of us who support trails, outdoor recreation, and public lands, we ask that you add your organization's name to the sign-on letter which will be provided to the appropriators and other members of Congress.

If you are a partner organization, please sign on to this letter. If not, please share this with your favorite organizations including those who are not trails-specific but that advocate for things such as public health, business, and outdoor recreation.

Tuesday, June 20, 2017

In 2018, America will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of our National Trails System but the party is already underway! Join the celebration by sharing your stories, photos, or favorite memories, or by simply getting out on the trail – and maybe bringing along a friend.

With the passage of the National Trails System Act in 1968, America was given a gift – the creation and protection of some of Americans’ favorite places to discover the great outdoors. Trails that celebrate outdoor adventure such as the Appalachian Trail and trails that allow us to walk through history, such as the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail.

So, join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, or right here on our website dedicated to this tremendous nationwide celebration of trails and all the places they allow us to explore. Share your love of trails and the outdoors. Go ahead – wear your heart on your sleeve – or on your backpack: this is a time of celebration.

While you're here, please take a moment and sign up to get email updates to find out what's going on in your neck of the woods as well as get key updates to the 50th.

Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Horsepower. The term oozes petroleum, big diesel pickups, Harley’s and cut-off flannel shirts in the garage. In an age where television is riddled with ads for vehicles boasting “the most” and “the strongest,” we often forget where it all start- ed from; the horse.

By definition, horsepower is what it takes to lift 33,000 lbs one foot in height over the course of one minute. A healthy human can sustainably produce approximately one tenth of one hp, not very much by any standard when the big trucks on television tout 300-500 horsepower.

Now contrast that to designated Wilderness areas where motors are no longer allowed and the options for accomplishing work and moving equipment are limited to either human power or horsepower. Moving downfall off the trail, digging new tread, and building turnpikes are examples of work that must be done without the assistance of motors.

In order to accomplish many of these tasks, backcountry managers use horses and mules. While livestock can’t pull a crosscut or swing an axe, they can provide the needed torque to move heavy objects around in the backcountry.

The majority of the gear necessary to work and recreate in the Wilderness is packed in on the backs of horses and mules. However, what most people don’t see is the work that was done and still continues to occur using mule teams to drag and skid objects...

Tim Love was a Forest Service District Ranger for 20 years. This is his perspective on our public lands

By Alex Robinson
June 8, 2017

In January, Utah Representative Jason Chaffetz introduced a bill that would eliminate the jobs of U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management rangers. The idea behind the bill is that local law enforcement could do a better job policing than the feds. The sentiment that federal agencies are overreaching their responsibilities on massive tracts of public land in the West played out in a dramatic standoff the previous year when an armed militia seized the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon and demanded the federal government relinquish control of the 187,000-acre refuge.

Chaffetz’s bill and the Malheur takeover captured national media attention, painting a picture of stark conflict between local westerners and federal land managers.

But as Tim Love tells it, this sort of heated contention is the exception, not the rule.

Love was the U.S. Forest Service district ranger for the Seeley Lake area of the Lolo National Forest in northwestern Montana for 20 years. He was in charge of managing 400,000 acres for outdoor recreation, wildfire management, wildlife habitat, and timber harvest until he retired in November 2014. Because he is retired, Love can speak freely about the Forest Service.

Love admits there are real problems facing federal land and challenges for those trying to manage it. But according to Love, the solutions to those problems include simplifying regulations and working closely with the community—not extreme measures like transferring lands to the states or stripping away agency budgets...

Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Lexington, KY – June 5, 2017 – Equine Land Conservation Resource (ELCR), in partnership with the United States Dressage Federation (USDF), is pleased to announce the inaugural Equine Land Conservation Achievement Award. Nominations for the award, which recognizes an individual or organization for outstanding achievement in protecting land or access to land for equine use, will be due by August 31, 2017. Nomination forms may be found on the USDF website at: https://www.usdf.org/awards/service/. Winners will be notified by October 1, 2017.

“USDF is very pleased to partner with ELCR on this award to help increase awareness of the importance of land conservation in the dressage community and to serve as inspiration to others within our discipline,” said USDF Executive Director, Stephan Hienzsch.

USDF’s Regional Group Membership Organizations (GMO) have been asked to consider individuals, organizations and agencies familiar to them, which are related to dressage and their communities, and to nominate those persons or entities which have accomplished exceptional achievements in the area of equine land or facilities protection or enhancement, especially at the local level, along with those activities that may have nationwide impacts.

The award will be presented at the Adequan/USDF Annual Convention awards ceremony on Saturday, December 2, 2017 in Lexington, KY. Convention and awards ceremony information may be found at: www.usdf.org/Convention.

“We are delighted to present the Equine Land Conservation Achievement Award in partnership with USDF, one of our long standing Conservation Partners. We look forward to recognizing and celebrating many future conservation achievements with the dressage community,” said ELCR Executive Director, Holley Groshek.